Shades of the Dawn

"Aria, have you heard about the case handled by Mr. Ocampo?" Ana asked. She's my friend since college. I don't know how we end up working at the same company but we are both social workers. "No, why?" I replied. Curiously looked at her while playing my pen. "I felt bad about his client, bes." saad naman nito na bakas talaga sa mukha ang lungkot. "wag ka maingay, ana." paalala ko sakanya habang sinisipat ang mga tao dito sa cafe. Although we're both social workers, we just can't talk about the clients lalo na sa public places. "Ito naman wala naman akong binabanggit na pangalan ng client, sorry na ho, hmm?" tila nang aasar niyang tugon. "Ganito nalang, ana" sabay sipat ko ulit sakanya "text mo sakin" nakangisi ko naman saad. "ayy, alam mo teh likas ka ding chismosa noh?" tugon niya habang pabirong dinuduro ako ng pen na hawak niya "pero sige wait lang." From: Ana I've heard that Mr. Ocampo's client is a r**e victim and severely battered by his own uncle, kawawa naman yung bata. I think his client is just 17 years old. Reading ana's message made me shudder out of anger and fear. I instantly remembered the past that I've been trying to forget. "Aria, ok ka lang ba? You look scared." Ana asked. "I'm fine, pagod lang ata to. Sinusubukan kong tapusin agad yung 6 cases na hawak ko." I replied then smiled. "Sigurado ka ba talaga sa plano mong magresign? final na talaga yan?" She asked. "Yep, gusto ko muna magbakasyon mga 1 month bes, tsaka alam mo naman diba mas gusto ko sa public sector nagkataon lang dati na kailangan ko agad magtrabaho dahil kailangan ko ng pera kaya napilitan ako magtrabaho sa private company." I was raised by my aunt since I was a baby. She told me that my mom left and never tried na kunin pa ako. Tuwing tinatanong ko siya kung ano ang pangalan ng nanay ko parati niyang sinasabi na wag ko na daw alamin at di ko din naman siya makikita Masaya naman ako kasama ang aunt ko na tumayo na ring nanay sakin but then she died because of cancer. Breast cancer to be exact. I thought that my aunt's death is the despairing event that would happen to me but the my most traumatic event happened. I was lifeless and hopeless for those years. I can still see the image of me being naked while curling up on the ground, abandoned, almost lifeless, has a chain at my feet. I was a fresh graduate from college that time and without Ana helping me, I might be dead by now. Only Ana knows my story, she's been with me through those years. Ana noticed me so she rushed to set beside me and hugged me. "bes, ok ka lang? pasensya na nadala lang ako kawawa kasi talaga yung bata." nag aalala niyang saad saakin. "Ok lang ako, ana, nalungkot lang din ako bigla." nakangiti ko naman tugon. "Alam ko na," aniya habang nakangiti na kala moy may pangmalakasang kalokohan nanaman "sama ka sakin mamaya, bar tayo." "No way! Ayoko na dun, the last time sumakit ulo ko kinaumagahan, bes!" I brought out making her laugh so hard kaya halos lahat ng tao dito sa cafe at napatingin samin kaya pasimple ko siyang kinurot sa tagiliran. "Alam mo bes kaya tag tuyot ka la din hanggang ngayon eh, wala kang hilig sa mga ganyan. Jusmiyo naman, Aria, mag 29 ka na kaya. Di ka eedad pababa, lapit ka na lumagpas sa kalendaryo." After that event happened I tried to live like a normal person. I undergo therapy before and strive to gain my confidence back. My friend treated me as her sister and I know that she's been treating me like some normal people do, dahil tingin niya dati mas madali kong makakalimutan lahat kung normal ang pakikitungo niya sakin, not as someone who had traumatic experience. "Shup up, Ana, di pa naman ako mukhang manang kaya don't you dare na ipamukha sakin na malapit na ako mag bente-nuebe." pataray ko namang saad kaya mas lumakas ang tawa ng loka loka kong kaibigan. "Oh come on beybe, Aria. We both know na kahit flings wala ka, aanhin natin yang mala dyoso mong ganda, aber?" natatawa pa nitong hirit kaya pairap akong tumingin sakanya. "Fine, sasama ako mamaya pero, b***h! don't you dare na malasing at magsuka kung ayaw mo talagang ipalunok ko sayo mga isusuka mo mamaya." I replied then laugh. "Aria Elizabeth Celaena, ang harsh mo talaga kaya di ka pa nagkaka boyfriend, feel ko may sapot na yang ano mo." She fired back then shifted her eye on me below. The hell, this b***h! palibhasa palaging bago ang boyfriend. "Excuse me, Anabelle Suazon! Inaalagaan ko ang perlas ng silanganan ko kaya for sure walang sapot to!" kunwaring pagtataray ko namang sagot. "Omg, shut up Aria! It's Ana not Anabelle sounds like the horror doll, sa ganda kong to!" She refuted and gave me an exaggerated sigh. "Di ka pa tapos dyan?" I asked Ana "Wait lang, bes. Patapos na din ako," She replied then a minute later, she closed her laptop and grab all her things. "Kain muna tayo? Ako taya ngayon, I'll cook." "Ako na magluluto ana, nakakahiya naman sayo. Huling luto mo ng Adobe bes feeling ko magkaka stomach cancer ako sayo." pabiro kong saad dito kaya naman eksaheradang napanganga siya habang nakatingin sakin. Later that time, halos maghabulan nanaman kami ni ana sa condo ko dahil sa damit na gusto niyang ipasuot sakin. "b***h, you need to wear this para kabog lahat ng nandoon at para naman makahanap ka ng didilig sayo." pamimilit niya sakin. "There is no way I'll wear that dress!" nakikipag matigasan ko naman dito kaya napairap nanaman siya. No hell way that I'll wear that, litaw buong likod ko pag sinuot ko yan at baka isang tikang ko lang kita na panty ko, ang bruha ginagawa pa ata akong manika na puwede niyang bihisan ng kung ano gusto niya. "Okay fine, bato pick tayo," tila naiirita niyang pakikisundo "ano ba gusto mo, bente uno nalang." Kaloka to, ano kami, mga bata? "bato pick nalang." pagsuko ko kaya naman tuwang tuwa siyang lumapit sakin. "Bato-bato pick!" sigaw niya pa habang magkatapat yung mga kamay namin. "yes! gurl I win!" irit niya naman at nagmadaling lumapit doon sa cabinet ko. Fuck! wala namang knife sa bato pick! Anduga ng bruhang to. "Hey! Wala namang knife doon eh, how come na nanalo ka. Bato kaya yung akin!" "Shh… wear this, go!" aniya sabay tulak sakin papasok ng cr. It's a Red sling backless dress, it was fitted and has a long slit. Di ko na alam kung saan nabibili ni Ana ang mga ganitong damit. Pagkalabas na pagkalabas ko ng banyo nagulat nalang ako sa tili ni Ana. "Oh my gosh, bes! Ikaw nalang jojowain ko! Ang ganda mo beybe!" eksaherada niyang tugon at nagmadaling lumapit sakin. "Feeling ko pagkauwi natin wala ka ng sapot bes, baka madiligan mamaya ang sampaguita!" Di ko nalang pinansin mga pinagsasabi niya at nag ayos na din ako at mga ilang sandali lang umalis na din kami. "San tayo?" I asked ana, while waiting for the elevator to open. "Sa Bliss Bar tayo ngayon, maraming gwapo doon." Nakangiti niyang tugon. The moment we entered the bar, a loud bang from the music welcomed us. The place was so crowded kaya sa bakanteng pwesto nalang kami ng bar naupo. "Wait lang bes, dito ka muna hanapin ko lang si bebe ko nandito raw siya." excited niyang paalam kaya wala na akong nagawa ng daglian siyang nawala. I was enjoying the loud music while sipping the wine when a man approach me. He was trying to hold my waist kaya naman daglian ko din itong hinawi. Such a p*****t. "Hi, ngayon lang kita nakita dito, want some company? I'll make sure you will enjoy it, hmmn?" he said then slip his hands on my butt. I was so shocked but I manage to avoid him again. "I don't need any company, I'm just waiting for my friend, she's probably on her way by now." Pilit ngiti ko namang tugon dito. He promptly dropped his glass and laughed while trying to touch my face. "Come on, your friend might be enjoying by now. I don't mind having you tonight." he said then held my hands. I was about to slap him when someone held my waist and seize me suddenly that made me stepped back. "If my girl says no, then it's a big no, you don't need to force her." A baritone voice from my back speaked. I was about to speak out and move but he tightened his grip on my waist. "Behave, babe." he whispered on my ears that made me shivered. His voice sounds sexy. I nodded as a response. The p*****t man in front of me seems irritated then turn his back then left. Halos makalimutan kong huminga dahil sa pangyayari kaya naman nung mapansin ko na nakalayo na yung lalaki ay napahugot ako ng malalim na paghinga. "Thank you so much, my friend left so…" I couldn't finish my words when I faced him. He's so f*****g handsome.